Monongahela National Forest Road 75 Dolly Sods Circuit

Forest Road 75 climbs from the Dry Fork Valley to the otherworldly landscape of Dolly Sods Wilderness, where 4,000-foot elevations create a subarctic ecosystem more reminiscent of Canada than Appalachia. The rocky, rutted forest road passes through dense rhododendron thickets before emerging onto the windswept plateau dotted with stunted red spruce and open meadows filled with wild blueberries. The route skirts the wilderness boundary, offering access to Bear Rocks overlook and multiple hiking trailheads, while crossing several boulder fields left behind by ancient glaciation.

This is high-clearance 4WD territory with rocky sections that will test your approach angles and skid plates. Stock trucks can make it in dry conditions, but articulation and patience are required. Best visited June through September when roads are clear of snow. No permits needed but camping requires designated sites outside wilderness boundaries. Fuel up in Petersburg or Seneca Rocks before the climb. What you get is access to West Virginia’s most unusual landscape and some of the best stargazing east of the Rockies.